Toy jet missile



R. A. BENSON 2,879,624

TOY JET MISSILE March 31-, 1959 EShets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2'7, 1956 INVENTOR. 16% PH 14. B6/V50/V March 1959 R. A. BENSON 2,879,624 7 TOY JET MISSILE 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1956 IN V EN TOR. Rap ,4. BEA/SON United States Patent TOY JET MISSILE Ralph A. Benson, Rockaway, NJ assignor of one-half to Raymond J. Novotny, Rockaway, NJ.

Application March 27, 1956, Serial No. 574,272 11 Claims. or. 46-89) This invention relates in general to toys and more particularly to a toy missile propelled by jet propulsion.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive toy simulating a missile propelled by jet propulsion.

The toy jet missile described herein simulates a missile of known type in which the thrust (propelling force) must exceed the weight in order to achieve flight. In addition, the line along which the thrust vector lies must be substantially in line with the center of gravity of the toy jet missile in order to obtain stable flight in a generally vertical trajectory without the use of lifting or movable control surfaces. The foregoing dynamic characteristics are inherent in this type of missile.

There is thus provided by my invention a novel form of toy jet missile which will simulate a missile of known type or sufliciently so as to attract and hold the interest of youngsters who will use the device, all of the same being arranged and including simple parts which may be readily disassembled and assembled or controlled to effect the best possible use of the device.

This application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 529,800, filed August 22, 1955.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention I have provided for improved flight stability and improved structure. Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view of the lower end of the toy jet missile.

Figure 2 is a front view of the toy jet missile with nose-piece and enclosed parachute.

Figures 3 and 4 are a top view and front-section, respectively, of a typical integral fin and nozzle construction.

Figures 5 and 6 are a top view and front-section respectively, of a typical non-integral fin and nozzle construction.

Figures 7 and 8 are a top view and front-section, respectively, of a typical integral fin and segment construction with each segment located and/or locked from one another.

Figures 9 and 10 are a top view and front-section, respectively, of a typical integral fin and hub construction using a separate nozzle within the hub.

Figures 11 and 12 are a top view and front-section, respectively, of a typical integral fin and segment construction using a nesting tube.

Referring in more detail to the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a view of the lower end of the toy jet missile. An inflatable balloon 10 is fixedly attached to the nozzle 11 by inserting the neck 12 of the inflatable balloon 10 through the nozzle 11 and stretching the lip 13 of the inflatable balloon 10 over the end of the nozzle 11. The fins 14 are symmetrically located about the nozzle 11 and fixedly attached to the nozzle 11; Figure 1 alsoshows the mouthpiece tube 15 fixedly attached to the check valve 16. The outside diameter of the check valve 16 seals against the inside surface of the neck 12 of the inflatable balloon 10. Using this method of sealing, a wide variation in tolerance on the outside diameter of the mouthpiece tube 15 and wall thickness of the check valve 16 can be permitted without effecting the effectiveness of the seal.

The fin edges 17 in contact with the inflatable balloon 10 provide support for the inflatable balloon 10 and also concentricity between the axis of the inflatable balloon 10 and the nozzle 11.

The top inside edge 18 of the nozzle 11 in contact with the inflatable balloon 10 is capable of flexing or has a rounded edge to help relieve the stress concentration in the inflatable balloon 10 as it stretches at this section during inflation.

The fin trailing edges 19 in contact with fl'ie launching surface 20 permit the toy" jet missile to stand in an erect 15 with check valve 16 to launch the toy jet missile.

Figure 2 is a front view of the toy jet missile placed on a launching surface 20. A nose-piece 24 is placed firmly over the nose of the inflatable balloon 10. Enclosed Within the nose-piece 24 is a parachute 25, the end of the shroud lines 26 being fixedly attached to the nose of the inflatable balloon 10 by direct means or by use of a suitable adhesive tape. When the toy jet missile is launched the inflatable balloon 10 begins'to deflate. As a result, the nose-piece 24 becomes loosely attached to the nose of the toy jet missile at approximately the zenith of its trajectory. At this instant the parachute 25 is exposed to the moving air and slows the descent of the toy jet missile. A similar effect is obtained if the parachute 25 is symmetrically draped over the nose of the inflatable balloon 10 without being enclosed inthe nose-piece 24. a r j Figures 3 through 13 inclusive show means for fixedly attaching the fins 14'to the nozzle 11 to form the, nozzle assembly.

Figures 3 and 4 show the fins 14 of integral construc? tion with the nozzle tube 11. I j

Figures 5 and 6 show the fins 14 as separate entities which may be attached to the nozzle .11 using a suit able adhesive. v

Figures 7 and 8 show the fins 14 beingof integral construction with nozzle segments 29. The nozzle segments 29 form the nozzle 11 when assembled together. Typical male-female locating means 27 may be used to locate nozzle segments 29from one anotherand the e'n tire nozzle assembly is fastened together using securing bands 28 over the top and bottom of the nozzle segments 29 forming the nozzle 11. In addition, the malefemale locating means may also be used to fixedly attach one segment with respect to the other by wedging and locking the locating means with respect to one another to form in effect a permanent assembly. Therefore, the securing bands 28 would not be necessary using this latter approach to the design shown in Figure 5. I

Figures 9 and 10 show the fins 14 of.integral construction with a hub 30. The nozzle 11 is fixedly at,- tached to the inside of the hub 30.

Figures 11 and '12'show the fins 14 being of integral construction with the nozzle segments 29. The nozzle segments 29 when assembled about the nesting'tube 31 form, in essence, the nozzle 11. Lips 32 located at the top and bottom edges of the nozzle segments 29 prevent longitudinal movement of the nozzle segments 29 with respect to the nesting tube 31. Securing bands 28 located at the top and bottom of the nozzle segments29"fasten the entire nozzle assembly together. j 1 f 'In order to fly the toy jet missile, the inflatable balloon is assembled to the nozzle 11 as shown in Figure 1. The checkvalve 16 is'then assembled to the mouthpiece tube and inserted into the neck 12 of the inflatable balloon 10. Blowing air through the mouthpiece .tube 15 will inflate the inflatable balloon 10 While the check valve 16'Will simultaneously prevent the escape of air. Also, the friction between the surface of the .check valve 16 in contact with the inside surface of the neck 12 of'the inflatable balloon 10 at the sealing surface will prevent the mouthpiece tube 15 and check valve 16 from being ejected from the neck 12 of the inflatable balloon 10 due .to the greater air pressure within the inflatable balloon 10. The toy jet missile is then placed upright on a launching surface 20. The mouthpiece tube '15 may then be pulled out directly by hand or removed remotely by using a lanyard 21 fastened to the mouthpiece tube 15. When the lanyard 21 is used to launch the toy jet missile, an anchor 22, either separate or integral with the launching surface 20, may be placed below themouthpiece tube 15. The lanyard 21 is then passed through a guide ring 23 so a downward tensile force may be applied to the mouthpiece tube .15. This latter arrangement is also shown in Figure 1.

Pulling on the lanyard 21 to remove ,the mouthpiece tube 15and check valve 16 remotely or removing the mouthpiece tube 15 and check valve 16 directly will cause the air from within the inflatable balloon 10 to flow through the nozzle 11. As a result, the toy jet missile will be propelled with suflicient thrust to fly in a uniform trajectory with good stability. When the inflatable balloon 10 has exhausted its air supply, no further thrust is experienced by the toy jet missile and .it returns to thegronnd.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosurehas been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of constructionand the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

vI claim:

1. A toy jet missile comprising, in combinatiomran inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle, the inflation end of said neck being fixedly attached to the end of said nozzle, ,said guide fins being fixedly attached to said toy jet missile,

the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position, the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said inflatable balloon adjacent .to said neck, the edges of said guide fins in contact withsaid inflatable balloon'obeing soshaped to provide concentricity between the .axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, a mouthpiece assembly consisting of ,a check valve Ifixedly attached to a mouthpiece'tube, the outside diameter .of said check valve mating withothe inside surltace of .said neck of said inflatable balloon and said mouthpiece tube being of sulficient length to protrude beyondthe inflation end of said nozzle.

.,2.,=A ,toy jet missile comprising, in combinatiomsan inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzleassembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins,

isaid inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle, the inflation endofsaidmeck ibeingfixedly attached to the end of said nozzle, said guide fins being .fixedly attached to said vtoy jet missile, the trailing edges of said guide fins beinglocated with .respecttosaid nozzleto permit saldtoyjettmissile to :stand in a generallywuprightposition, the leadingsedges nfsaid guiderfins adjacent ,to said inflatable balloomcontacting said inflatable balloon adjacent to said neck, the edges of said guide fins in contact with said inflatable balloon being so shaped to provide concentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said nozzle assembly, a flexible line secured to said nozzle, said flexible line passing through a guide surface located below said nozzle, said guide surface being fixedly attached to an anchor and said anchor being fixedly. attached to a launching surface.

3. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle and forming the inner wall thereof, the inflation end of said neck of said inflatable balloonbeing fixedly attached to the inflation end of said nozzle, said guide fins being of-integral construction with said nozzle, the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position, the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said inflatable balloon ad.- jacent to said neck, said leading edges of said guidefins in contact with saidinflatable balloon being so shaped;to provideconcentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, and ;a combined .in-

flating and sealing device detachably secured to said neck, said device being manually detachable from said neck to launch said toy jet missile.

4. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, .said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle and forming the inner wall thereof, the inflation end of said neck of said inflatable balloon being fixedly attached to the inflation end ofsaid nozzle, said fins being of separate construction with respect to said nozzle, the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missileto stand in a generally upright position, the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said inflatable balloon adjacent to said neck, said leading edges of said guide-fins in contact with said inflatable balloon being so shaped to provide concentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said neck, said device being manually detachable fromisaid neck to launch said toy jet missile.

5. A toy jet missile comprising, incombination, an

' inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle, the inflation -.end of said neck being fixedly attached to the end of said nozzle, said nozzle being divided longitudinally into segments and said.- guide fins being .of integral construction with saidsegmentsgand said segmentshaving'at their extremities :means'for locating one segment with respect to the other and meansfor fixedly attaching one segment with respect to the other, the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position,the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said inflatable balloon adjacentto said neck, the .edges of said guide fins in contact with said inflatable balloon being so shaped to provide concentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon vand said nozzleas- :sembly, and a combined inflating and sealing deviqe detachably secured-to said nozzle assembly, said device being manually detachable from said nozzle assembly to launch said toy jet missile.

6. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle, the inflation end of said neck being fixedly attached to the end of said nozzle, said nozzle being fixedly attached to a hub and said hub being of integral construction with said guide fins, the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position, the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said inflatable balloon adjacent to said neck, the edges of said guide fins in contact with said inflatable balloon being so shaped to provide concentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said nozzle assembly, said device being manually detachable from said nozzle assembly to launch said toy jet missile.

7. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form including a neck at one end, said neck being substantially located within said nozzle, the inflation end of said neck being fixedly attached to the end of said nozzle, said nozzle being divided longitudinally into segments and said guide fins being of integral construction with said segments and said segments comprising said nozzle being circumferentially located about a nesting tube and said segments comprising said nozzle having at the top and bottom edges of said segments means for preventing relative longitudinal motion between said segments comprising said nozzle and said nesting tube, a securing band located at the top and at the bottom of said segments comprising said nozzle, the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position, the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said inflatable balloon adjacent to said neck, the edges of said guide fins in contact with said inflatable balloon being so shoped to provide concentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said nozzle assembly, said device being manually detachable from said nozzle assembly to launch said toy jet missile.

8. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle therefor, said inflatable balloon including a neck located within said nozzle and forming the inner wall thereof, said nozzle being fixedly attached to said neck of said inflatable balloon, guide fins attached to said nozzle and symmetrically arranged about said nozzle in proximity to the trailing edge of said balloon, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said neck, said device being manually detachable from said neck to launch said toy jet missile.

9. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon including a neck located within said nozzle and forming the inner wall thereof, said nozzle being fixedly attached to said neck of said inflatable balloon, said guide fins being fixedly attached to said nozzle, the trailing edge of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said neck, said device being manually detachable from said neck to launch said toy jet missile.

10. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an flatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon including a neck located within said nozzle and forming the inner wall thereof, the inflation end of said neck of said inflatable balloon being reversibly folded over the inflation end of said nozzle to fixedly attach said inflatable balloon to said nozzle, said guide fins being fixedly attached to said nozzle and symmetri cally arranged about said nozzle in proximity to the trailing edge of said balloon, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said neck, said de vice being manually detachable from said neck to launch said toy jet missile.

11. A toy jet missile comprising, in combination, an inflatable balloon and a nozzle assembly therefor, said nozzle assembly consisting of a nozzle and guide fins, said inflatable balloon having an elongated form and including a neck at one end, said neck being located within said nozzle and forming the inner wall thereof, the inflation end of said neck of said inflatable balloon being fixedly attached to the inflation end of said nozzle, said guide fins being fixedly attached to said nozzle, the trailing edges of said guide fins being located with respect to said nozzle to permit said toy jet missile to stand in a generally upright position, the leading edges of said guide fins adjacent to said inflatable balloon contacting said'inflatable balloon adjacent to said neck, said leading edges of said guide fins in contact with said inflatable balloon being so shaped to provide concentricity between the axis of said inflatable balloon and said nozzle assembly, and a combined inflating and sealing device detachably secured to said neck, said device being manually detachable from said neck to launch said toy jet missile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 858,026 Reynolds June 25, 1907 1,718,508 White June 25, 1929 2,384,193 Platt Sept. 4, 1945 2,436,684 Annis Feb. 24, 1948 2,439,989 Ruthven Apr. 20, 1948 2,449,147 Samuels Sept. 14, 1948 2,732,657 Krautkramer Jan. 31, 1956 2,748,529 Swan June 5, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,771 Great Britain May 6, 1949 680,192 Great Britain Oct. 1, 1952 

